Golden Time

“Mrs. Choi is a woman who is the oldest person on this island. She is right now 103 years old.”

Suhyuk knitted his brows because he clearly heard that she fell down.

At that age even a little shock from falling could be fatal to her.

“Not that road.”

s.h.i.+n stopped Suhyuk who was walking ahead of him already.

“This way.”

s.h.i.+n walked into an ally, and Suhyuk followed him immediately.

She was living in a house with a red gate.

The gate was rusted as the house was surrounded by the sea.

“It’s me, s.h.i.+n Jaechol.”

He knocked on the door.

The door opened with a sharp noise.

A man in his early 60s, the son of Mrs. Choi, answered.

“Is she in?”

At s.h.i.+n’s asking, the man gestured him to come in and stepped aside.

So s.h.i.+n and Suhyuk went in.

The room was small, about 7-pyong wide, which looked even smaller because of the TV set and other furniture.

There inside lay an old woman with short and grey hair.

Taking off his shoes, Suhyuk went in first, and sat next to her, bending one of his knees.

“How are you, grandma?”

“Your face is new to me...”

The woman, who was making a frown due to pain, made a curious expression.

Then s.h.i.+n came into the room, raising his voice louder than before,

“He’s a new doctor. He is very good at curing patients.”

Nodding her head, she looked at Suhyuk.

“Where do you feel uncomfortable, grandma?”

Suhyuk’s voice as loud as s.h.i.+n’s, because she could not hear well, yet in genereal she was unbelievably healthy for her age of 103.

“I feel pain in my leg from after I fell down.”

She tapped her right thigh with her hand, saying,

“Right under here...”

Suhyuk stroked her ankle lightly and watched her reaction.

“Can you move?”

She lifted her leg slowly, and even wiggled her toes.

“Very good.”

Suhyuk carefully moved her ankle joint up and down.

No reaction.

Then he touched the muscle around her ankle.

“Ouch!”

She made a little moan at his touch.

Suhyuk said, with a smile, “Looks like the muscle went into spasms a bit.”

Fortunately, there were no sprains on the ankle or problems with the bones or nerves.

“You might feel some pain, grandma.”

Then Suhyuk began to ma.s.sage the area where the muscles were cramped up.

It was to loosen the blood flow to make the muscles loose.

Failure to loosen it leads to making part of the muscle fiber become tight, and the blood circulation may be blocked and could lead to an ischemic state. As a result, the neurotransmitter that stimulates the nerve is secreted, which makes the pain worse and the muscle more cramped up.

“Ouch, ouch...”

Suhyuk smiled at her painful moaning.

“Please bear with it a moment.”

Having said that, Suhyuk looked at her son, saying,

“A cold pack will take away a lot of her pain.”

Nodding his head, the son headed to the kitchen.

After about 10 minutes he brought a cold pack.

Suhyuk wrapped it around her leg.

“Before you go to sleep, please dip your feet in warm water, which will help you out a lot.”

Warm water helps blood circulation and loosens cramped muscles.

“Please call us anytime when you feel pain.”

“Thanks, doctor.”

Watching Suhyuk from the back, s.h.i.+n was smiling broadly.

Suhyuk’s diagnosis and treatment was quick.

And the way he deals with the patient, it looked as if her grandson was dealing with his grandma.

He was such a great doctor befitting his capabilities.

s.h.i.+n understood fully why Suhyuk was famous and why it was inevitable he became so.

***

Suhyuk still managed to have the dinner get-together with s.h.i.+n and Choi.

Although the old woman was hurt very much and took time to treat, they still went ahead with the dinner as planned.

The restaurant they arrived at was crowded with customers already.

Families and lovers took their spots to grill oysters over charcoal fire.

Though Suhyuk was not well aware of them, most of the customers were people on the island.

Soon they found a good spot, and as soon as they were seated, a middle-aged woman with an ap.r.o.n came up with a pleasant smile, saying,

“It’s been a long time since you came here with the nurse, doctor.”

“Well, we’re here for a dinner with the new doctor at the clinic.”

The owner of the restaurant cast his eyes toward Suhyuk.

s.h.i.+n introduced him, saying,

“This is a new public health doctor a.s.signed to our clinic. He is very capable.”

Suhyuk exchanged greetings, with a smile,

“My service to you!”

She waved her hands, repling,

“It’s me who has to ask you a favor. What would you like to order?”

“Oysters, please.”

Choi helped s.h.i.+n with the order in a tw.a.n.gy voice,

“Please give us plenty of that!”

“Of course! We’re like close family on this island. Just await the order.”

She then put some charcoal on the grill to light them first.

Then she brought a handful of oysters in a nickel-silver pot.

“Enough oysters, right? Let me also give you some fan mussels for free.”

“Thank you.”

“Please help yourself a lot. If the oysters are not enough, just let me know.”

s.h.i.+n put on cotton gloves, saying,

“As I’m used to wearing surgical gloves, I feel other gloves are strange.”

“Let me do it.”

“No, I can’t let you do it since you’re the main guest today.”

s.h.i.+n began putting the oysters and fan mussels on the grill with his hands that were wearing gloves.

Appetizing smells rolled up from the grill.

“Don’t say you’re not someone who enjoys drinking alcohol.”

“Oh, I drink well.”

s.h.i.+n filled soju in Suhyuk’s gla.s.s, and so did Suhyuk.

“Let’s toast for Dr. Lee Suhyuk’s addition to our clinic!”

“Cheers!”

As it was coinciding with the sunset, the whole island was being tinged with redness.

About two hours pa.s.sed like that.

With his face red with intoxication, s.h.i.+n looked at Suhyuk with a smile.

“I think you could go to a better clinic, given your capabilities.”

That was true. Even while he was on his military training, he was asked for by many clinics.

But he rejected their requests and chose to come to this place.

An island village where he could meet warm-hearted people.

Suhyuk liked this place, especially given the poor medical facility here.

“Dr. Lee, please accept my refill!” said Choi.

Even though she already had three bottles of soju, she was still sober.

She rested her chin, asking, “Do you have a girlfriend?”

s.h.i.+n shook his head at her bold move.

“No, not really.”

“Really? You’re so able and handsome. Are you sure you don’t have a girlfriend? You’re lying...”

Suhyuk just smiled at her.

“Actually I don’t have a boyfriend...”

Was it because of the flaming sunset?

Her cheeks were glowing brightly.

Suhyuk suddenly felt something cold on his spine.

He turned his head to s.h.i.+n, saying, “You look tired, Dr. s.h.i.+n.”

s.h.i.+n answered, nodding his head, “n.o.body can beat age. Let me take my leave first, so enjoy yourselves some some more, you guys.”

“Let’s break up together,” said Suhyuk, “To be honest, I feel tired a bit due to the boat ride today.”

Choi made a regrettable expression.

However, s.h.i.+n already headed to the counter to pay the bill.

“Thanks for the food, doctor!”

s.h.i.+n, patting Suhyuk’s forearm, said, “You remember the rice bag inside the clinic, right? Don’t forget to take it. If you’re drunk, don’t ride the bicycle.”

“I’m all right, sir.”

“Okay, see you tomorrow!”

They parted, and Suhyuk headed for the clinic.

When he opened it, it was quite dark inside.

When he turned on the light, a fluorescent light popped to illuminate the room brightly.

Suhyuk was walking slowly, looking around the room once again.

He touched the waiting sofa and the shooting machine.

This was the place he would be spending time in for several years.

With a smile Suhyuk went out with the rice bag in hand.

Then he tied it onto the bicycle with a rubber rope, and sat on the saddle.

When he pressed down on the pedal, the flashlight attached on the bike came on and illuminated the road.

***

Back home, Suhyuk put the rice bag in the kitchen.

He made his bed and turned on the light.

Though there was a TV set, he did not want to watch it.

He closed his eyes.

Sounds of the roaring waves and seagulls’ occasional crying even in night could be heard.

He fell asleep before he knew it.

When he woke up, the morning light had already broke.

Suhyuk checked the time hurriedly. It was 7:30am.

Was it because of his fatigue and cozy bed, or was it because he was drunk?

As he never slept in that late, he was very much embarra.s.sed.

Was.h.i.+ng his face and brus.h.i.+ng his teeth roughly, he got on the bike and pushed on the pedal.

While he was heading to the clinic, some pa.s.sersby looked at him curiously, whispering among themselves,

“Oh, I’ve never seen his face before?”

“I heard that he’s a new doctor who just got here.”

“Really?”

“I heard that he’s really a good doctor.”

They all looked at him with a satisfactory look.

***

He could arrive at the clinic soon. It was 10 minutes to 9am.

The moment he got down, he was surprised a bit.

He heard that there were not many patients at the clinic usually.

But something different was happening before his eyes.

People were lining up outside the clinic.

Resting the bike on the side, he headed for the entrance.

“May I come inside?”

“Don’t cut in line!”

A man waiting in the line made a frown.

“Oh, I’m the new public health doctor.”

The man’s eyes became wide, and cleared the way for him.

When he got inside, Suhyuk’s eyes became wider.

At least 30 people were there.

“That doctor is mine! I saw him on TV!”

At the voice of a very old woman, everybody cast their eyes on Suhyuk.

“Right! Right!”

“They say he was such a famous doctor even in the United States.”

When Suhyuk made a blank expression, Choi came up to him and said,

“All of these people are here for a medical checkup from you.”

Suhyuk scratched his head, but immediately began seeing them.

“Please come on in!”